Engine-starting apparatus



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Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS II. DAvIs; or ANDERSON, INDIANAgAssIGNoR, BY ivInsNiii ASSIGNMENTS, TO Diamo-REMY CORPORATIONOF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF'DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING 'APPARATUS Appiicain filed January 12, 1926. seriaiNo. 80,757.

This invention relatesito apparatus for starting internal combustion engines and particularly to the type of apparatus which includes a motor, a pinion driven by the inotor and movable endwise into engagementwith'the gear of an engine to be started, and a one-way clutchfor 2connecting the pinion with the motor so that the pinion may overrunthe motor shaft when the engine beio comes self-operative. y It is an object vof the present invention to simplify the construction and improvev the operation of n to. y To this end. the invention. provides a i5 clutch comprising n one of which is connected with the pinionv and the other with the motor, and` a helical spring normally engaging the drumsl with relatively little friction, the spring being stressed into driving engagement with the drums, when either of the drums is rotated in a certain direction.` lIn this manner ythe motor is automatically connected with the engine when ititends to drive the engine after the pinion is engagedwith the engine gear, and the pinion overruns the motor when the engine becomes self-operative. The drum connected with the pinion is radially yieldable into engagement with a third drum connected` with themotor, so that, when the spring is stressed against the pinion drum, the pinion drum'will be forced into driving engagement with said third drum. v y a5 Further objects and advantages of Athe present invention will bejapparent from the following description7 reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein a ent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are fragmentary side views partly in section of the form of starting apparatus embodying the present invention. Fig. 1 shows the apparatus disconnected from the engine,y and Fig.v 2 drivingly connected'with'the engine.,` v

Fig.8 is a sectional view On line 3-3 of Fig.` 1.

501', Fig. 4 is a sectional viewA on line`4-f4 of" the overrunning clutch referred.

two coaxial clutch drumsV teeth 30 for meshing with the gear22.

preferred form of embodiment of the pres- Aen-divise comprises pedal 41 movable .rod 46 supported by Yin plan view sattached to two studs 51 which extend? Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. y

lReferring tothe drawings, numeral 20 designates the field frame of an electric motor, the frame being attached to a gear housing 21 adapted to be supported by the frame of the engine tobe started. The engine is not shown but is represented by a flywheel gear. shown in fragment at 22. The field frame 20.and the housing 21 support an armature shaft 23 having a splined portion 24 which is engaged lby the splines 25 of a sleeve 26 which is sliolable alongthe shaft 24. Thesleeve 26l is providedwith a drum portion 27 coaxialwith a drum' member 28 provided by the hub of ay pinion 29 having The drum 28 is'normally out of driving engagement with a drum 31 provided by the sleeve 26, but is divided .by notches 32 into resilient segments 33 which can move radially Yinto driving engagement with the .drum 31.

A helical coil clutchv spring' 34 is normally non-drivingly connectedl with the `drums, 27 and 28 but bears against them with light fr-ictionalrpressure. y A tube 35v is 'attached by a screwv 36 toa flange 37 of vsleeve 26 and has a flange 38 which engages a washer 39 carried by the pinion 29. Thus thespring 34 is 4enc osedand the sleeve 26 and pinion 29 arey kept assembled. Movement `of the pinion 29 relative to tliejsleeve 26 toward the rightA maybe limited alsoby a pair of half-washers 38ZL which are received by a groove 39 in the sleeve 26 and by a suitable Vrecess in .the hub Vof the pinion 29. These .f

half-washers are retained by -a Wire split ring 40 located in the groove 39a.

The mechanism for moving the sleeve 26 through a cupv-shapedfwasher 42 attached to ;v 1

the floorboard 430i" an automobile. spring lower end of lever 45 carries a rod 47 which is received by a slot 48 provided in the stern portionr49 of a block 50 which is T shaped asshown in Fig. 5. The block thehousing 21. The

through holes 52 (see Fig. 4) in the yoke 53` vvided between the flange 37 and a washer 58 attached to the sleeve 26. The spring 44 acting through the pedal 4l, pedalr lever 45, block 50 and lever 54 causes the sleeve 26 to be maintained normally in contact with a stop member 59 provided by the shaft 23.

The lever 45 carries a screw 60 maintained in adjusted position by lock nut 6l. The screw 60 engages the plunger 62 of a motor switch which is enclosedby a switch case 63`attached by .screw 64 to the motor frame 20. The switch case 63 encloses stationary contacts,V one of which is attached to the motor field winding and the other to a terminal 65 whichl is adapted to receive a wire leading from a storage battery or other current source. The case 63 encloses also a movable contact attached to the lower end ofthe plunger 62. A spring 66 is located between the switch case 63 and a cap 67 attached to the plunger 62 and normally maintains the plunger in switch-open position. i

To start the engine` the operator presses the pedal 4l to causeV the lever 45 to move from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2. Provided the pinion teeth 30 do not abut the teeth of the flywheel gear 22, theV pinion 29 will be moved into mesh with the .engine gear before the motor is caused to operate by the closing of the motor switch which occurs when the screw 60 engages the plunger 62 and'moves it into the position shown in Fig. 2. Vhenthe; motor switch is closed the shaft 23 will rot-ate inV the direction of the arrow and will cause thesleeve 26 to be rota-ted in the same direction. Since the pinion 29 is prevented from lrotating by its engagement with the gear A22, the spring 34 willtend to remain stationary due to the friction between it and the pinion clutch drum 28. Friction between the spring 34 and the drum 27 will cause the spring 34 to be co'nstricted into driving engagement with the drums 27 and 28. The constriction of lthe spring 34 around the drum 28 causes its segments 33 to be squeezed into driving engagement withthe third drum 31' provided by the sleeve 26. Thus the motor is s drivingly connected with the pinion through the drums 28 and 31 as well as through the drum'27, spring 34 and drum .When the engine becomes self-operative, it will rotate the, pinion 29 faster than the pinion can be rotated by the motor,-therefore and therefore be released from driving engagement with the clutch drums 27 and 28. Therefore, the pinion 29 will overrun the sleeve 26 and the. motor shaft will notbe driven by the engine.

Vhen the operator releases the spring 44 will operate to withdraw the the' pedal ii,

pinion29 from engagement with the engine gear. The release of the pedal 4l also 4permits the switch plunger 62 to return'to switch-open position.

the teeth 30 of the pinion and the teeth of the flywheel gear 22, the springs 5l, which provide a yielding connection between the be released to cause the sleeve 26 and parts carried thereby to bemoved quickly toward tl'ieright so as to moveV the pinion into en-v gagement with the engine gear. l l/Vhile the formV of embodiment'of the present invention as herein` disclosed, constif Vtutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adoptech'all coming within the scope of the claims kwhich follow.

Vhat is claimed .is as follows tooause the pinion vyond their initial state of compression, will l. Engine starting lapparatus comprising, Y

in combination, a motor; the motor and Vmovable into mesh with a gear of the engine to be started; and a oneway clutch for connecting the pinion and motor and comprising aligned clutch drums connected respectively with the Yrn'otor'and pinion, va helical coil 'spring normally in light frictional engagement with said .drums a pinion driven by is? and adapted to drivingly connect the drums i when either drum is direction, and a third drum connected with the motor and located concentrically to and substantially coextensive' with the pinion drum, the pinion drumincluolingl radially displaceable segments which are forced into driving engagement with the third drum rotated in a certain 'when the spring drivingly connects the first mentioned drums.

2. Engine in combinatioma motor;a pinion driven by Athe motorand movable into mesh: with a gear of the engine to bestarted; and a oneway clutch for connectingthe pinion and starting apparatus comprising, i

motor and comprising aligned clutch drums connectedV respectively with the motor and pinion, a helical coil spring encircling they so In case abutment should occur between f drums and normally in light frictional engagement with said drums `and adapted to drivingly Vconnect the drums ,when either drum isrotated in a certain direction, and a third drum connected With the motor and located Within the pinion drum, the pinion drum including radially displaceable segments which are forced into driving engagement with the third drum when the spring drivingly connects `the first mentioned drums.

3. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft driven by the motor; a sleeve slidable along the shaft and driven thereby, a pinion normally freely rotatable upon said sleeve; a one-Way clutch for connecting the shaft and pinion and comprising aligned drums provided by the sleeve and pinion, respectively, -a helical coil spring normally in light frictional engagement With said drums and adapted to drivingly connect the drums when either drum is rotated in a certain direction, and a third drum provided by the sleeve and located concentrically'to and substantially coeXtensive With said pinion drum, the pinion drum including radially displaceable segments which and pinion, respectively, a helical coil spring l yencircling the ydrums and normally in light frictional engagement With said drums and adapted to drivingly connect the drums when either drum is rotated in a certain direction, and a third drum provided bythe sleeve and located Within the pinion drum, the pinion drum including radially displaceable segments which are forced into driving engagement With the third drum When the spring drivingly connects the first mentioned drums; and means for moving the sleeve endwise. e

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

LEWIS H. DAVIS. 

